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Valerie Bertinelli Gets Her Bikini Bod Back!

Lately, it seems like all the media does is scrutinize the weight of Hollywood stars -- females in particular. If Jessica Simpson is photographed wearing an unflattering pair of high-waisted jeans, she's fat. If Beyonce Knowles dons a Thierry Mugler gown that accentuates her curvy physique, she's also fat. This concerns me. If gorgeous women like Jessica and Beyonce are "fat," what does that mean for the rest of us?

Fortunately, a celebrity story pertaining to weight loss came out today that I can get excited about! At age 48, Valerie Bertinelli has gotten her bikini bod back -- and she's showing it off on the latest cover of People magazine. Of course, it wasn't easy achieving her newly fit physique. In April 2007, the former "One Day at a Time Star" proclaimed, "I'm fat." She was 5'2" tall, weighed 172 pounds, and vowed to drop from a size 14 to a size 8. Almost two years later, the actress is in the best shape of her life after losing more than 40 pounds thanks to exercise and her Jenny Craig diet.

While unveiling Bertinelli's cover on the "Today" show this morning, People magazine's Galina Espinoza noted that Valerie, who hadn't been in a bikini in 30 years, aims to inspire women with her new look and let them know it's never too late to get your body back. "With a little bit of motivation and a lot of hard work, anyone can do this."

I've got to say that I find Valerie's message to be rather empowering since she has been open about her battle with the bulge from day one, and we were with her every step of the way. In addition to looking fabulous, she's also now healthy. Isn't that what we should be concerned with rather than curves and clothing choices?

So what do you think? Is Valerie's bikini cover empowering, or is it simply playing into our society's obsession with weight?

For more on Bertinelli's story, check out these articles on People.com: